We are Invictus

Invictus means “unconquerable” or “undefeated” in Latin and is also a poem by William Ernest Henley. The poem was written while Henley was in the hospital being treated for tuberculosis of the bone, also known as Pott’s disease. Henley was himself an amputee and the poem reflects his long battle with illness.

Generations have drawn on the words of William Ernest Henley’s poem for strength during times of adversity.

Invictus

~by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be.

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance.

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears,

looms but the Horror of the shade,

and yet the menace of the years,

finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

how charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

We are the master of our fate and we are the captain of our souls.

We all need to remember that and never forget it.

We must all remember that we are all…

unconquerable

and we will remain undefeated.

This is the logo for the Invictus Games.

The Invictus Games is an international Paralympic-style multi-sport event, created by Prince Harry of the Commonwealth Realms, in which wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and their associated veterans take part in sports including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and indoor rowing.

The word ‘Invictus’ is Latin for ‘unconquered’ and embodies the fighting spirit of our wounded, injured and ill servicemen and women. They have been tested and challenged, but they have not been overcome. They have proven that by embracing each other and the support of family and friends, they can reclaim their future. They are Invictus.

The Invictus Games is about much more than just sport – it captures hearts, challenges minds and changes lives.

Most of us will never know the horrors of combat. Horrors so great that many servicemen and women suffer life-changing injuries, both visible and invisible, while serving their countries, while serving us. How do these men and women find the motivation to move on and not be defined by their injuries? How can we challenge perceptions and send a positive message about life beyond disability to an international audience? Prince Harry not only asked but answered these questions.

On a trip to the Warrior Games in the United States in 2013, Prince Harry saw the positive impact sport could have on the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, injured and ill servicemen and women. He vowed to take the idea and launch a similar event in the UK. The Invictus Games Foundation was established and in 2014 London hosted the inaugural Invictus Games, at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with more than 400 competitors from 13 nations.

Led by an experienced and deeply passionate board of trustees, the Foundation supports the delivery of future Invictus Games, manages the process of selecting future Games hosts and promotes the importance of sport and physical activity in the rehabilitation journey of wounded, injured and ill service members and veterans.

The second Invictus Games took place in May 2016 in Orlando, Florida, and built on the excitement of the London Games with more than 500 competitors from 15 nations. The Invictus Games will continue in 2017 in Toronto from 23 to 30 September before heading ‘down under’ to Australia.

The Sydney Games will attract more than 500 competitors from 18 nations to compete in 11 adaptive sports and will recognise and thank families and friends for their role and the challenges they share in supporting our wounded warriors. Sydney will host around 1000 family and friends who’ll be in the stands cheering.

These Games have shone a spotlight on the ‘unconquerable’ character of service men and women and their families and their ‘Invictus’ spirit. These Games have been about seeing guys sprinting for the finish line and then turning round to clap the last man in. They have been about teammates choosing to cross the line together, not wanting to come second, but not wanting the other guys to either. These Games have shown the very best of the human spirit.

~Prince Harry

(Princess Diana must be so proud of Prince Harry. She must be smiling and shining and pouring out her love from heaven.)

Up until my awareness of the Invictus Games, all I had been doing was living in memories. In my mind my life has been over and I was just waiting to be done because I’m not capable of doing or living like I used to. I‘m starting to think however, that my game has just begun.” ~Competitor, Team USA

I think “The Invictus Games” is an absolutely beautiful, inspirational and awesome event and should be celebrated by everyone. What a wonderful idea Prince Harry had and what a great man Prince Harry is. I love Prince Harry, and he is quite handsome, as well. I had to throw that out there too.

The Invictus Games may not be the panacea for the many wounded warriors with physical and/or mental wounds, but it an essential experience and tool that gives them with hope, encouragement, unity, a brotherhood and sisterhood and a purpose to keep fighting, overcoming and conquering their many challenges and continuous battles in life.

We too are wounded warriors.

Our minds and souls have been wounded by mental illness.

Some of us are not warriors and heroes that fought for our country, but we are warriors and heroes of a different kind.

We are warriors and heroes that fight for our lives.

We fight and battle our mental illness every moment of everyday.

We fight and overcome. We conquer.

We are unconquerable.

and we will remain undefeated.

We will remain undefeated by staying alive and continue to fight our battles of mental illness.

We will overcome and win again and again.

We are warriors,

we are heroes

and we are survivors.

I AM THE MASTER OF MY FATE.

We are the MASTER of our own FATE.

We will win our own “Invictus Games,” our own “Invictus Games” of life.

We will be victorious over our own lives.

“Never stop fighting and do everything you can to lift up everyone around you.” ~Prince Harry

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Published by myloudbipolarwhispers

It is my passion in life to help others in as many ways as I can. I want to share my story to help others know they are not alone and to increase awareness and educate about bipolar disorder, PTSD and all mental illnesses. I also want to reduce the stigma of mental illness and the stigma associated with suicide and to prevent suicides and save lives.
I have given many presentations to share my story, inspire others, increase awareness, educate and reduce the stigma of mental illness and suicide. I have given presentations at a local University, spoken as a certified NAMI presenter and spoke to police officers and social workers for their Crisis Intervention Training. I have also been interviewed by our local newspaper and news station to share my story.
I want to be a voice for the many people that cannot speak up for themselves. I want to make my voice heard loud and strong for many to hear and learn from and prayerfully be inspired from.
I have written one book titled "My Bipolar Memoir of Poetry and Hope" which is a compilation of my many poems and prose to share my story and journey of living, surviving and thriving with bipolar disorder. My book is full of honesty, sorrows, loss, resiliency, perseverance, encouragement, love, faith and hope. You can buy my book online on at Lulu.com, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I hope you like it.
My first book is like a prequel to my upcoming, real and entire memoir of my story and journey of my life living with mental illness. I am in the process of writing my new memoir. My story will have parts of my journal entries I have saved for over 25 years. It is difficult to remember exactly the way you were feeling during your darkest hours after your light is shining again. So, my journal entries will help convey my pain, sorrows and true feelings my bipolar 1 disorder and PTSD caused during my darkest hours. But, just like my blog, my memoir will also prayerfully encourage and inspire others to know that there is always hope for a brighter tomorrow, day, future and life.
God has saved my life numerous times and he continues to love me and save my life. He is always with me through all of my struggles, holding my hand and catching all my tears. There is always hope and recovery is possible. I am living proof of that. We must always have faith and hope...
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